ShareThisPurnell students confer with renowned poet
Purnell English students attend special event at Kean University with poet, Naomi Shihab Nye
Purnell students with Naomi Shihab Nye
"Within literature, a thread of humanity connects all of us." That's the message that award-winning poet, writer, anthologist and educator Naomi Shihab Nye conveyed to her audience of nearly 900 people, including nine students from the Purnell School in Pottersville, N.J., during her presentation at Kean University's Issues '09 lecture series on November 16.
Nye's expression of her spirit and passion for the written word left audience members both awed and inspired. For the ladies from Purnell, it gave new life to their experience of reading her recent collection, Honeybee, in their English class. What is more, the students were treated to a meet-and-greet with Nye prior to the lecture, where they were able to ask her questions and engage in a discussion on the reading.
"Meeting Ms. Nye made me understand the motives and inspirations that went into writing the book," said Christine Lee, a student from Purnell. "Thanks to her, I also have a better appreciation for the little things around me and have started to become more aware of them in my everyday life."
Nye, who started sending her own poems to magazines at age 7, said she believes poetry allows people to enter into a "realm of timeless imagining."
"I've always felt befriended by the voices in books,' she said. "I think all of us have a poetry channel in our minds; whether you tune into that channel or not is up to you.'
Nye also urged students to allow poetry to bridge the gap within their differences.
"Reading literature that doesn't reflect your background helps all of us,' she said. "Each of us carries a body of knowledge, understanding and care. We're all trying to follow a thread of humanity or looking for a nugget that pulls us together. Everything doesn't have to match, as long as there is that mutual respect for each other.'
An advocate for our shared humanity and an expert on multiculturalism, Nye has authored more than 25 volumes, including 19 Varieties of Gazelle: Poems of the Middle East, Words under the Words, Fuel and You & Yours. She has authored seven prize-winning poetry anthologies for young readers. Nye uses experiences from her Palestinian-American heritage and travels to places such as Asia, South America and the Middle East to inform her literary endeavors.
"Ms. Nye rekindled our students' desire to share their voices with the world, and I am grateful to Kean University for making that possible," said Karin Van Orman, the students' English teacher. "Paradoxically, our students often struggle to express themselves in writing, and yet they love to learn, tell stories and make new friends. At Kean, they had the chance to do all of the things they love, and this will make a difference the next time they face a blank piece of paper."
Founded in 1855, Kean University has become one of the largest metropolitan institutions of higher education in the region, boasting a richly diverse student, faculty and staff population. Kean continues to play a key role in the training of teachers and is a hub of educational, technological and cultural enrichment, offering more than 50 undergraduate degrees and more than 45 options leading to a master's degree, doctorate, professional diploma and/or state certification(s). Five undergraduate colleges and the Nathan Weiss Graduate College now serve more than 14,000 students.
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